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on 31 October 1908. During the negotiations for the reconstruction of the ministry, an advance was made to
Swinburne to take over the leadership of the party, and Bent offered to retire in his favour, but Swinburne, weary from overwork, could see no way of reconciling the conflicting interests in the party and declined the offer. Swinburne also felt the strain of a motion of censure on him moved in September. Behind this motion were severe attacks made on his probity by
440:. A host of matters was referred to the commission, and Swinburne thought it right to resign from all his directorates and practically abandon the business career in which he had been so successful. Much work was done by the commission and it is due to a suggestion made by this body that the "Advisory Council of Science and Industry" (later to become the
269:, finding employment in the gas and mechanical engineering business of his uncle, John Coates. In April 1885, Swinburne was taken into partnership and was able to put £300 of his own savings into the business. Swinburne's chief recreation was music and in June 1885 he was one of the choristers at the Handel festival held in the
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water-sharing arrangement, his draft agreement of 1906 was remarkably close to that finally accepted in 1915. In 1907 Bent visited
England and Swinburne was leader of the Assembly during his absence. After Bent's return the ministry's position weakened, and Swinburne and four other ministers resigned
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and realised the huge cost of storing the winter and spring rains for use summer; he believed that water charges should take the form of a rate payable, not only by those who used the water, but by all whose land was benefitted by irrigation. In
November 1903 Irvine's health was so seriously affected
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who succeeded him gave
Swinburne the portfolio of minister of water-supply (1904–08). Swinburne was in England at the time but he collected all the available literature on the subject and studied it on the voyage out. He then visited the irrigation settlement with leading officers of his department.
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in
November 1904 and was also of great assistance to Bent as treasurer. As Minister for Agriculture, he was the first to realise that the most important function of the department was to educate the farmer. Swinburne was mainly responsible for the foundation of chairs in agricultural science and
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The whole problem was full of complications, but
Swinburne was able to have the drafting of the water bill begun in June 1904. It involved the appointment of the ] to undertake the control and management of all state water. The bill passed through the assembly but was not passed by the
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work and was chairman of the board of business administration of the defence department, and later was civil and finance member of the military board. In 1919 when the electricity commission was instituted
Swinburne was appointed one of the four commissioners, with
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had practically been a dictator in politics for many years; his mistake in this case was to attack a man who was not only perfectly honest, but had the courage to go into the witness box and the ability to withstand the cross-examination of two of the most able
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Swinburne was a modest man and a lifelong
Methodist with strong Christian principles. For example, at his home no games were played on Sundays. Ethel Swinburne was the daughter of Rev. D. J. Hamer, a former Minister of the Collins street Independent Church,
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in 1891 and fortunately withdrew most of his capital from
Melbourne to help his father and brother to start a business; in doing so he practically escaped the effects of the end of the land boom and the bank crisis of 1893. Swinburne visited the
365:. Swinburne had to travel through the country and to try and convert the opponents to the bill. In 1905 it passed the assembly again and Swinburne was asked to attend the Council and explain the provisions of his bill. With some amendments, the
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Swinburne's role was to secure contracts for erecting gas plants for the firm of John Coates and
Company. In 1887 the Melbourne Hydraulic Power Company was formed, supplying power to city buildings. In 1888 a similar company was established in
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472:. Swinburne became a member of the council of public instruction after he left state politics, and especially encouraged decentralization and technical education. He was for some years on the council of the
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Swinburne worked hard but he was never too busy to find time for additional activities of importance. He was a driving force in the establishment of the Eastern Suburbs technical college at
444:) was eventually established. However, a reduction of powers of the commission after a judgment of the high court resulted in Swinburne's decision to resign. Swinburne did significant
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before beginning work in the morning, and joined a debating society. On Sundays Swinburne taught a class in a Methodist Sunday school; he had music lessons and was an avid reader.
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Swinburne was over six feet (180 cm) in height, thin, slightly angular. He was only a few years in parliament, but the influence of his work was felt long-term.
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to start a business, Swinburne was left in charge in London. Coates found the prospects so good that Swinburne followed him and arrived in November 1886.
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had not really been successful, and it was clear that their organization and principles would need careful revision. Swinburne had studied Victorian
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in 1897 studying the development of electricity in competition with gas. He decided that each would have its own place.
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newspaper. The motion in the house was defeated by a large majority, Swinburne brought an action against
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as chairman. Swinburne resigned this position in 1925, when most of the initial difficulties of using
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municipal council in 1898 and in 1902 became mayor. Also in 1902, Swinburne became member for the
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is at the National Gallery, Melbourne. His second daughter, Gwendolen Hamer Swinburne, published
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was finally passed by the Council. This act is said to be Swinburne's greatest achievement.
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Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
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345:"important works for the conservation and distribution of water in the arid areas"
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287:"a game not worth playing—ended in weariness, sleepless nights and restless days"
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on 17 February 1890 who survived him with four daughters. Swinburne's bust by
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On 31 July 1913 Swinburne retired from parliament to become a member of the
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and was also one of the trustees of the public library, museums and
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candidates in 1922 were elected, and in 1928 he was elected to the
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Coates. Mark Swinburne was a draughtsman in the Armstrong works at
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took the case to two higher courts but was defeated in each case.
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by over-work that he was compelled to resign the premiership, and
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and philanthropist. He founded the institution which later became
277:, in 1886 he became election agent for the Liberal candidate for
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People educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne
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Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
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Portrait of Hon. George Swinburne, Commissioner 1919–1926.
194:(3 February 1861 – 4 September 1928) was an Australian
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634:biography at Encyclopedia of Australian Science
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457:for power generation had been surmounted.
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347:. The earlier experiments initiated by
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238:. Mark married Jane in 1860.
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408:David Syme
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178:Profession
109:1861-02-03
297:Australia
291:Melbourne
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61:In office
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613:10 April
596:(1949).
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